Standards
for Certification of DRAFTWOOD Environmentally Sensitively Harvested
Forest Products
APPALACHIAN REGION
1.
This is the Stewardship we practice. We intend this to be
restorative forestry.
A
written, preharvest plan shall appraise the woodland quality,
diversity and volume appropriate for a balanced, many aged management
harvest method, through “worst first”, single tree selection.
The plan shall include removing or felling deformed, declining and
overcrowded trees that inhibit quality development by residual trees.
The plan shall specify retention of high quality trees of each
species sufficient for regeneration, by superior seedlings. Any
obvious den trees and some standing dead trees are retained for
wildlife habitat. The goal is stewardship such that reasonable
recovery may result in timber size, quality and diversity (as well as
bio-diversity) 10-30 years after the harvest that resembles or
improves the size, diversity and quality present prior to the
harvest. The plan shall anticipate producing a healthy and
aesthetically pleasing forest throughout the harvest period by
lopping debris low to the ground and keeping topsoil in place.
2.
Planning, harvesting site preparation, and management, shall conform
in all respects to the Va. Dept. of Forestry, Best Management
Practices for Water Quality.
3.
Wherever possible, skid trails shall be constructed on the contour
of the land and log landings placed to keep vehicles outside of the
forest or on existing roads. If new roads or landings must be placed
within the forest, they shall be well engineered, aesthetically
pleasing and designed for repeated use as a wildlife fed plot and
future landing by subsequent generations.
4.
Trees selected shall be individually marked for felling with tracer
paint prior to the cut and according to the plan, and volume
assessed. Trees will be felled with directional felling (open faced,
hinge & latch technique) with primary consideration for the
protection of the remaining growing trees.
5.
The skidding of logs shall be accomplished with a low impact power
source. This means animal power (horse, mules, oxen, etc.) using
some form of front-end suspension (arch, sled, cone, etc.) to protect
the topsoil, unless another power source achieves superior
environmental protection in a specific situation identified in the
harvest plan.
6.
Selective felling in the forest shall when possible be confined to
the dormant season, to reduce damage to remaining trees and for
reasons of safety, unless specific exceptions are granted by the
inspecting certification agent for particular trees or particular
sites for specified reasons.
7.
Biotic health and diversity will be protected by leaving obvious den
trees, removing debris from drainage courses, and reseeding landings
and any other exposed mineral soils.
8.
Both landowner and logger will subscribe to these standards for the
proposed harvest and will require the inclusion of these standards,
by reference, in the contract between them in order to be certified.
The needs, wishes and aesthetic appreciation of the landowner are an
important, essential cultural part of the enhancement of the woodland
ecology and should be accommodated in the design and accomplishment
of the restorative forestry harvest.
9.
The plan shall be reviewed prior to harvest and the site inspected
during and after harvest by an agent of the community certifying
group. This agent shall have the responsibility of accounting for
the volume removed, adherence to the standards, and establishment of
the chain of custody for certified sensitively harvested materials
through the use of tracer paint and small end coating of logs or
simple visual verification. The agent will be responsible for
written documentation of the harvest plan accomplishment and
pertinent observations.
This
agent will be a volunteer from the community that has no ownership in
the
land
or forest and no connection with the forest products industry. This
is intended to be a community based free service toward to end of
establishing
DRAFTWOOD
as a viable source of “green certified” lumber, beams, logs and
forest products.
10.
These standards may be amended and modified to accomplish the
control necessary to verify the integrity of the marketing process.
Agents of the certifying group shall have a written signed agreement
defining their commitment to this environmentally sensitive timber
harvesting method. All sites will be available for public inspection
upon request.
11.
The ethical and humane treatment of the working animals employed to
accomplish low impact sensitive extraction of logs is understood and
integral to the process. These animal partners are to be nurtured
and their care and management should be a kind master relationship
and not abusive. Minimal conditions shall include:
a.
A shelter shall be provided that includes three sides. A loafing
area that allows free movement is appropriate for days off work.
b.
All working animals shall have free choice hay when not working.
c.
All working animals shall have free choice mineralized salt when not
working.
d.
All working animals shall have all the water they will drink at
least three times daily.
e.
All working animals should not work for longer than eight (8) hours
in a twenty-four (24) hour period. It is recommended that they have
(1) one pound of grain per (100) one hundred pounds of body weight,
when working full time, fed in two equal feedings, daily.
f.
All working animals will receive veterinary care when necessary.
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Landowner
Practitioner
